The impacts of illegal parking on the urban areas’ traffic and

environmental conditions: the case of the city of Thessaloniki

A. Tsakalidis*, P. Tsoleridis and M. Pitsiava-Latinopoulou
Department of Civil Engineering, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124, Thessaloniki, Greece

*Corresponding author: E-mail: tsakalidis@civil.auth.gr, Tel +30 2310994160, Fax: +30 2310995789

Abstract
A combination of factors including an unattractive public transport offering a low level of service,
the lack of parking facilities, an inadequate drivers’ education and poor policing have led to illegal
parking phenomena in many urban centers, contributing in their aesthetic and cultural degradation,
making them inaccessible for both vehicles and pedestrians. In the present study the phenomenon of
illegal parking is investigated along selected road axes in the city of Thessaloniki, Greece. After the
appropriate processing of the data collected, the impacts on road capacity were calculated and the
current status was compared to the ideal traffic conditions. The connection of existing land uses and
illegal parking activity and its impact on the environmental degradation was investigated.
Conclusions regarding the degree of parking violations and the traffic capacity reduction in relation
to road and adjacent land uses’ characteristics are given and solutions to the problem are proposed.
Keywords: Illegal parking; road capacity; traffic impact; urban traffic; urban degradation.

1. INTRODUCTION

The economic development that occurred in western societies during the last decades of the
previous century led to a rapid increase in private car ownership, which resulted to high traffic
congestion in most city centers. A combination of factors including an unattractive public transport
offering a low level of service, the lack of parking facilities for off-road parking, an inadequate
drivers’ education and poor policing have led to illegal parking phenomena in many urban centers.
Illegal parking has major impacts on everyday quality of life, such as increased travel times, slower
movement of goods due to the critical reduction in road capacity. All these effects contribute in the
aesthetic and cultural degradation of urban centers, making them inaccessible for both vehicles and
pedestrians. This fact, combined with the overall decentralization that is now observed in most
cities through the immersion of new commercial activities in the suburbs, where a sufficient number
of parking spaces is offered, can lead to the decline of urban centers. Furthermore, illegal parking
can have negative effects in tourism since visitors are obliged to confront the daily traffic
congestion in all affected centers, which usually constitute the cultural centers concentrating most
tourist attractions. Land use and transport systems allocation and integration have played a major
role in the context of urban planning An optimal spatial organization of urban functions correlated
in harmony with the transport systems is a prerequisite for a sustainable transportation planning
urban development (Pozoukidou, 2014).

A series of factors affect the proper functioning of the transport system in urban areas. In the
present study the phenomenon of illegal parking is investigated along selected road axes in the city
of Thessaloniki, Greece since it is a more critical problem for the Greek city centers than other
European cities where, apart from adequate and proper policing, the appropriate drivers’ education
exists. In addition, the non-integrated urban and transportation planning in Greece resulted to the
current development of cities’ form that is unable to support the soaring ownership of private cars
and applies more pressure to the existing parking problems. Within this framework, parking
measurements were conducted along selected road segments and a database including legal and
illegal parking data was developed. After the appropriate statistical processing of the data collected,
the impacts on road capacity were calculated and the current status was compared to the ideal traffic
Proceedings of the International Conference on Changing Cities II: 442
Spatial, Design, Landscape & Socio-economic Dimensions
ISBN: 978-960-6865-88-6, Porto Heli, Greece , June 22-26, 2015
conditions. In addition the connection of existing land uses and illegal parking activity and its
impact on environmental degradation was investigated. Finally some interesting conclusions
regarding both the degree of parking violations and the traffic capacity reduction in relation to road
and adjacent land uses’ characteristics are given and possible measures and solutions to the problem
are proposed.

2. METHODOLOGY

The proposed methodology used for this study comprises five stages: a) the selection of the road
segments to be investigated, b) the collection of local urban data including land use and functional
data, c) the collection of local parking data concerning both legal and illegal parking, d) the analysis
of the data collected and e) finally, the extraction of conclusions and the proposal of possible
solutions. The stages of the methodology are presented in Figure 1.

Figure 2. Methodology of the study.

Initially, the road segments to be investigated are selected within the study area. The primary data
collection includes the recording of the adjacent land use data type and the functional characteristics
of the selected roads (number of lanes, existence of bus lanes, direction, existence of center island
etc). On-site measurements are conducted at the selected road segments; with those measurements
the exact number of illegal parking, the offered legal parking spaces and the percentage of each
kind of deviant behavior was evaluated (i.e. parking on the sidewalk, not adequate distance from the
junction, etc). Then, a statistical analysis of the measurements is made followed by comments and
descriptions of the current situation occurring in each street. In addition, with the help of
spreadsheets, the calculation of the reduction of traffic capacity is made for each road at specific
points, where traffic lights exist. The green times and the total cycle length of each traffic light are
measured and then, with the use of the methodology applied in Great Britain (Frantzeskakis et al.,
2008), the traffic capacity of each section under ideal circumstances, i.e. in compliance with the
current parking regulations, is calculated. Afterwards, the traffic capacity of the road under the
existing conditions, which derives from on-site recordings and the reduction percentage, is
calculated. Finally, an attempt is made to establish a connection between the adjacent land uses and
the main type of deviant behavior that occurs at each road. A special reference to the current status
of the special parking spaces, such as TAXI and loading spaces, and how their illegal occupation
affects the normal operation of the road should be made. Based on the above, possible measures to
tackle the problem of illegal parking are made.

3. CASE STUDY

3.1 Study Area

The study area includes the city center of Thessaloniki. Thessaloniki is the second largest city in
Greece and plays a major role as the administrative, financial and cultural center of the country’s

443
north but also contributing in the strategy of promoting spatial competitiveness and in the country’s
development in general, with a population of 1110312 and a density of 301.49 inhabitants per km2
(Thoidou, 2013, Hellenic Statistical Authority, 2011). The use of private car is the citizens’ first
travel choice as 1800000 out of 2300000 or 78.26% of the trips made daily within the city are
conducted using the private car, while the private car ownership index reaches a 45% (Organization
of Urban Transportation of Thessaloniki, 2014). Public transport, currently including only buses, is
run by the Thessaloniki Urban Transport Organization serving 167000000 passengers annually with
a fleet of 618 vehicles serving 79 lines in the city center and its premises. Moreover, the city
operates as a transportation node for southeastern Europe, by having an international seaport and
airport as well as a railway terminal, supporting thus the transportation of people and goods at the
urban, regional, national and international level. Nine major road axes of the city were included in
this study in order to have a representative picture of the impacts of illegal parking in areas with
different characteristics. The study area and its selected road segments are presented in Figure 2.

Figure 2. Study area and selected road segments.

3.2Application of the Methodology

Initially, nine major road axes in the study area were selected for the investigation. The road
segments include three main arteries, three secondary arteries and three main collector roads.

Table 1. Selected road segments and their characteristics.

Existing Existing
Lanes per Existing
Road Road Class Directions Center Signalized
Direction Bus-Lane
Island Intersection
Egnatia Str. Main Artery Two Three Yes No Yes
Tsimiski Str. Main Artery One Four Yes No Yes
Olgas Ave. Main Artery One Four Yes No Yes
Mitropoleos Str. Secondary Artery One Two Yes No Yes
Papanastasiou Str. Secondary Artery Two Two Yes Yes Yes
N. Plastira Str. Secondary Artery Two One No No Yes
Aggelaki Str. Main Collector Road One Three Yes No Yes
M. Mpotsari Str. Main Collector Road Two One No No Yes
Olympiados Main Collector Road Two One No Yes No

Field recordings were conducted separately for each of the nine road segments where the legal
parking spots, the total number of illegally parked vehicles and the type of delinquency were
registered. Two recordings were made per route, one in the morning and one in the afternoon during

444
8:30-11:30 and 19:00-21:00 respectively, in order to capture a representative view of the parking
conditions throughout the day. The days the recordings took place had to be typical working days
when the market remains open during the afternoon (i.e. Tuesday, Thursday and Friday). By using
the British Methodology and with the assistance of spreadsheets, the calculation of the reduction of
traffic capacity for each route was calculated at points just before signalized intersections and
critical sections of the road network. The traffic capacity depends mainly on the geometrical
characteristics of the road (road width, number of lanes, etc.) and on the existing traffic regulations
(existence of signalized intersections, one-way system). Thus the green phase as well as the whole
cycle of the signalization along the examined road segments were measured. Then, the traffic
capacity was estimated for the conditions that should normally exist if there was no illegal parking
at all and also the traffic capacity for the existing situation based on the type of delinquency
recorded by the field measurements. Finally, the percentage of the capacity reduction caused by
illegal parking on each road segment was calculated. The Transport Engineering Laboratory of the
Aristotle University of Thessaloniki provided land use data for the study area; the nine areas of the
study dο not have common elements concerning the adjacent land uses (SRM-LIFE, 2006). More
specifically they include road segments with purely residential areas adjacent to them, such as
Olympiados and Plastira Str. and road segments that are characterized by intense commercial
activity and nightlife such as Tsimiski and Mitropoleos Str. The various road segments also differ
as far as the geometrical characteristics are concerned, ranging from roads with many lanes and
adequate width (i.e. Egnatia and Olgas Ave.) to roads with fairly limited width, such as Botsari Str.
Thus, the analysis of data resulted to some interesting conclusions about the degree of delinquency
and the reduction of traffic capacity in relation to the particular road characteristics.

4. RESULTS

The analysis of the data concerning parking behavior showed that the majority of drivers did not
keep the minimum parking distances from intersections, pedestrian crossings, bus stops etc.
(Frantzeskakis et al., 2002). More specifically, in Plastira Str. there were very high percentages
recorded near or inside an intersection (15.7%), near a bus-stop (7.5%) or near pedestrian crossings
(9.0%), while in Olympiados Str. there was a high number of vehicles parked at a corner (29.7%).
Nevertheless, the most significant illegal parking rates observed were those that referred to the
violation of bus-lanes and of special parking places as well as those that referred to double parking.
Those types are the ones causing the most important problems contributing to the highest reductions
in traffic capacity. The road segment with the highest percentage of illegal parking at special
parking spaces (26%) and double parking (65.4%) was that of Aggelaki Str. Concerning illegal
parking along bus-lanes Egnatia Str. holds the highest percentage (37.4%), a type of illegal parking
activity that affects the road’s traffic capacity with a reduction at least of 5%. Table 2 presents the
examined nine road segments according to their adjacent land uses while the total number of illegal
parked vehicles per 100m of sidewalk, as well as the percentages of illegal recordings per type are
presented in Table 3 and 4 respectively.

Table 2. Road segments and adjacent land uses [5].

Road Housing Commercial
Egnatia Str. 30% 70%
Olgas Ave. 30% 70%
Tsimiski Str. 30% 70%
Mitropoleos Str. 30% 70%
Papanastasiou Str. 30% 70%
Aggelaki Str. 50% 50%
Mpotsari Str. 50% 50%
Olympiados Str. 70% 30%
Plastira Str. 90% 10%

445
 Table 3. Illegal parked vehicles per 100m of sidewalk.

Road Road Segment Length Illegal Recordings per 100m

Egnatia Str. 708 221.5
Olgas Ave. 537 305.4
Tsimiski Str. 562 250.5
Mitropoleos Str. 526 106.3
Papanastasiou Str. 726 213.4
Aggelaki Str. 490 236.5
Mpotsari Str. 644 219.9
Olympiados Str. 571 75.8
Plastira Str. 681 131.2

Table 4. Illegal recordings per type.

Road Minimum Parking Minimum Minimum Bus- Special Double

Distance on Distance Distance lane Parking Parking
from Corner from Bus from Space
Intersection Stop Crossing
Egnatia Str. 3.9% 1.5% 0.2% 3.8% 37.4% 6.3% 0.4%
Olgas Ave. 0.9% 1.7% 0.0% 0.7% 18.4% 17.6% 21.5%
Tsimiski Str. 1.6% 0.8% 0.0% 2.4% 5.5% 3.5% 7.2%
Mitropoleos Str. 0.2% 5.4% 0.0% 4.5% 2.5% 25.8% 56.7%
Papanastasiou
Str. 8.4% 1.7% 2.0% 4.5% 0.0% 2.5% 2.4%
Aggelaki Str. 0.0 7.0% 0.0% 1.5% 0.1% 26.0% 65.4%
Mpotsari Str. 6.3% 1.1% 0.0% 5.9% 0.0% 2.9% 32.5%
Olympiados Str. 6.2% 27.9% 0.0% 0.7% 0.0% 24.0% 1.4%
Plastira Str. 15.7% 3.9% 7.5% 9.0% 0.0% 3.3% 0.3%

The estimation of the illegal parking impact on road traffic capacity showed that there is a great
variation in the capacity reduction rate according to the road geometric characteristics. Thus, along
Egnatia Str. a small decrease in traffic capacity was observed (5 - 10.4%), due to the large width of
the road, while in Vas. Olgas Ave. the capacity reduction remained constant (22.0%) throughout the
study section, due to the same geometric characteristics and the same signaling cycle.

The width of the road is critical concerning the effect of double parking. Double parking strongly
affects roads with limited width in various ways; the number of available lanes can be reduced,
available turns at intersections can be restricted and the use of bus lanes can be interrupted.
Moreover, the existence of center islands even though it can help the rearrangement of road
infrastructure and support more orderly traffic flows, in some cases the space occupied is used for
illegal parking in the middle of the road having a negative impact on the road capacity. Therefore, a
limited width of the road combined with double parking and illegal parking on the center island
leads to an almost completely non-functional state when occurring.

Special mention should be made for special parking spaces, whose illegal occupation creates
multiple problems to the proper functioning of the road. Particularly important is the seizure of
cargo positions, leading trucks to double park or park farther away from the shops where the
loading and unloading of goods should take place. It should be mentioned that throughout the

446
duration of the in situ survey no trucks were parked in special cargo spaces, a fact that calls for
more effective policing in order to keep the specific places free for the hours when loading and
unloading is allowed by law. Regarding the taxi parking spaces the situation is different because the
taxi drivers remain in their vehicles while they are on-duty and therefore they apply enforcement by
themselves. Finally, the recorded spaces reserved for special vehicles were primarily places for
school buses in front of schools and parking spaces for the handicapped. Although most of these
spaces were occupied, this did not lead to further problems in traffic; this phenomenon, however,
should be evaluated by its social side.

The reduction of traffic capacity per road segment and the possible correlation between the size and
type of illegal activity and adjacent land uses by processing the collected data is presented in Table
5.
Table 5. Reduction of traffic capacity per road segment.

Road Housing Commercial Reduction Main Type of Illegal

Use Use Percentage Parking
Egnatia Str. 30% 70% 5.0-10.4% Bus-lane
Olgas Ave. 30% 70% 22.0% Double parking
Tsimiski Str. 30% 70% 36.7-54.8% No parking at all times
prohibition
Mitropoleos Str. 30% 70% 47.2-64.8% Double parking
Papanastasiou Str. 30% 70% 26.6-85.1% No parking at all times
prohibition
Aggelaki Str. 50% 50% 26.5-47.2% Double parking
Botsari Str. 50% 50% 28.0-74.3% Double parking
Olympiados Str. 70% 30% 55.9-56.2% No parking at all times
prohibition
Plastira Str. 90% 10% 26.5-39.0% No parking prohibition

From the data of Table 5 it can be concluded that there is no a clear relation between the land use
type and in specific the commercial character of the roads with the type of illegal activity occurring
in each road segment. Double parked vehicles for example were recorded both on commercial
streets of the city such as Mitropoleos Str. but also along and less commercial streets such as
Botsari Str.

Regarding the rate of traffic capacity reduction of a road, this is mainly a function of the
geometrical characteristics of the road, as it has been mentioned previously, while the roads with
mixed land uses adjacent to them, i.e. regions with 50% residential and 50% commercial uses
(Botsari Str.), show the highest reduction rates of over 70%, as they concentrate multi-purpose trips.

The highest capacity reduction rates were observed along Papanastasiou Str. (85.1%) and Botsari
Str. (74.3%), reflecting the bad actual traffic conditions at those road segments.

5. CONCLUSIONS

The problem of illegal parking is directly connected to the increasing private car ownership and use
of the recent years. Private car owners are clearly the majority of offenders as indicated by the
conducted in situ surveys. In recent decades an exponential increase in car sales had taken place
leading to a large number of households with two or more private cars; this results in poor parking
supply, unable to meet the actual parking requirements. For this reason demand reduction strategies
should be implemented in order to switch users from private car to public transport.

447
Furthermore, a policy for the control of the growth of private car ownership should be implemented,
especially for households that already possess one or more vehicles i.e. higher taxes or higher traffic
charges. Also a series of standards that relate parking spaces with private car possession must be
applied for each vehicle. Examples exist internationally, such as Japan, where the private car
ownership in a household is related to the parking space ownership. Of course the success of such
measures require the existence of a dense and well organized urban transport network that will
cover the population's needs for travel to all parts of a city, making the private car unnecessary for
the majority of trips.

Regarding the illegal parking, the most effective and direct way to address it, is obviously correct
and adequate enforcement and the imposition of an appropriate penalty system. Enforcement could
be limited to parts of the city with a significant problem of illegal parking if the resources available
are not currently sufficient for traffic or municipal police to adequately cover all areas of the city. In
addition, contemporary technology could be used in order to achieve a more effective policing.
Traffic cameras can be installed for the real-time monitoring and recording of offenders’ vehicles.
This measure, however, is highly unpopular in many countries and installed cameras are at risk at
any time by phenomena of vandalism.

Other ways to deal with illegal parking also exist beyond policing i.e. an appropriate traffic design.
The widening of the pavements at corners, for example, can be used for the prevention of illegal
parking on them, due to the limitation of the lane width. It is also possible to place appropriate
obstacles on sidewalks that will prevent the access of vehicles to these points. Another way to
reduce illegal parking could be the better marking of areas where parking is prohibited, such as the
placement of cats’ eyes and the right coloring of the pavement, which will clearly warn the driver
not to park at that point. Above all these measures, a key condition for the elimination or reduction
of illegal parking is an adequate traffic education of drivers, as its lack is the main cause of the
problem in general. Concluding it can be said that the improvement of parking condition results to a
better urban environment and to a higher quality of everyday life.

References
1. Pozoukidou, G. (2014) Land use transport interaction models: Application perspectives for the
city of Thessaloniki, SPATIUM International Review, No. 32, pp. 7–14.
2. Frantzeskakis J., Golias J., Pitsiava-Latinopoulou M. (2008) Traffic Engineering. Athens:
Papasotiriou Publications.
3. Thoidou, E. (2013) Strategic spatial planning in the era of crisis: Current trends and evidence
from the metropolitan area of Thessaloniki, SPATIUM International Review, No. 30, pp. 12–
17.
4. Hellenic Statistical Authority (2011) http://www.statistics.gr/portal/page/portal/ESYE, accessed
20th Nov 2014.
5. Organization of Urban Transportation of Thessaloniki (2014) http://www.oasth.gr, accessed
20th Nov 2014.
6. SRM-LIFE (2006) Development of a global methodology for the vulnerability assessment and
risk management of lifelines, infrastructures and critical facilities, Application to the
metropolitan area of Thessaloniki – SRM-LIFE, Research Programme assigned from the
General Secretariat for Research and Technology to AUTH, Greece, 2002-2006.
7. Frantzeskakis J., Pitsiava-Latinopoulou M., Tsamboulas D. (2002) Parking Planning, 2nd
Edition. Athens: Papasotiriou Publications.

448